Ono 101: Taco Truck Turkey Carnitas

by Chris Mikesell

The closer we get to the end of November, the closer we get to Thanksgiving, but if you grew up with year after year of the same old sage-scented holiday bird, there’s a chance you might just be sick of the traditional turkey treatments.

chris mikesell / KA LAMAKUA

Turkey carnitas is not only a great way to use the traditional Thanksgiving
bird, but around this season, turkey is the cheapest per pound protein
bargain of the entire year.

But there is hope. Turkey is one of the most versatile proteins out there, prized for both its flavorful dark meat and tender white meat when done correctly. If anything, one could argue that turkey is the pork of the poultry world, so it makes sense that when you’re thinking turkey it pays to think like a preparer of pork products.

When you think pork, you think roasting. When you think pork, you think brining, or marinating, even. Turkey responds well to all of these treatments, and can easily be adapted to match different flavor profiles.

Take these turkey tacos, for instance. They look like they came from a taco truck, but in reality they are simple to make in your oven.

The key is in the wet rub – don’t think Thanksgiving. Think carnitas. Turkey meat – especially the burly flavor and fattiness of dark meat – can hold its own against the flavors of our southern border, and results in a pollo asado that is just as delicious as any you can get from a taco truck. 

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Taco Truck Turkey Carnitas

This recipe is enough for the drumsticks and thighs from a raw 12-16 pound turkey, or 2 to 3 pounds of raw turkey dark meat.

Wet rub: 

2 tsp ground cumin

2 tsp ground coriander

1.5 tsp paprika

1/4 chopped onion

1/4 cup garlic cloves

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

8-10 dashes of whatever hot sauce you want (I use Tapatio)

pinch kosher salt 

1 tbsp veg oil

3 tbsp apple cider vinegar

1) Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F and line a sheet pan with foil. 

2) Combine the ingredients for the wet rub in a food processor and process into a paste.

3) Score (cut slits into) the turkey meat and massage the paste into the meat. Roast right away or let it marinate for a few hours. The turkey's temperature should read 165 before pulling it out of the oven.

4) Cover the turkey loosely with foil and let it rest for at least 20 minutes until pulling the meat from the bones either with a fork or by hand. 

You can serve as is, pulled or chopped into chunks, or for even more flavor, you can saute the turkey carnitas for a few seconds, then add half a cup of stock and a couple tablespoons of vinegar, lemon, or hot sauce and braise until the liquid is gone and serve immediately with corn tortillas, salsa, fresh onion, and chopped cilantro.

Makes about a dozen tacos, but they won't last long enough for you to count.